P R O D U C E R TA L K
PRODUCER
Andrea Occhipinti
“Cinemas will not only survive, they will thrive” Interview with Andrea Occhipinti Interview
A L E S S A N D R A D E LU C A
The challenge? Creating a digital on-demand platform dedicated to quality cinema, not as an alternative to theaters, but complementary to them. A point of reference for an audience of cinema lovers, designed to reaffirm the social and cultural role of film in Italy. It was with this objective in mind that Andrea Occhipinti, managing director of Lucky Red, a company that produces and distributes arthouse titles in Italy and elsewhere, founded MioCinema. On May 18, 2020, the platform connected the public, movie theaters and the digital universe for the first time with the premiere launch of Ladj Ly’s Les Misérables, a Cannes 2019 competition film. After registering for free on the site, users can choose their local cinema of reference (from 150 participating cinemas) and buy the individual film directly. A percentage of the proceeds is allocated to the cinema. Occhipinti, among the speakers on the panel entitled “Epic Battle or Sweet Romance? How cinema and streaming can coexist and prosper,” was one of the key participants in IDM’s tenth INCONTRI Film Conference, which was held online. He outlined the profile of his innovative project, which came into being just when the world of cinema was threatened by the pandemic.
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Is it possible for a streaming platform to restore the dialogue between spectators and cinemas that was interrupted by the restrictions imposed by the Covid-19 crisis? Absolutely. Our purpose is not to ferry audiences away from cinemas to the platform, but to bring them back into the theaters. During the months of closure, we offered spectators the chance to see great films through a digital platform. It was created to enhance the offering of quality cinema, to keep the public informed, to put them in touch with directors, actors and critics, to present films in their original language, as well as retrospectives and reviews, exclusive events and masterclasses, and to support those titles that have limited chances of success in physical cinemas, where they are destined to disappear after just a few days.
ANDREA OCCHIPINTI
Which were the most-watched films? Les Misérables by Ladj Ly, Bad Tales by the D’Innocenzo Brothers and Matthias & Maxime by Xavier Dolan, followed by Bart Freundlich’s After the Wedding, Francesco Bruni’s Everything’s Gonna Be Alright, Philippa Lowthorpe’s
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